By Zachary Flesch / The Jambar
The Youngstown State University men’s golf team set out for Indianapolis to participate in the Don Benbow Butler Spring Invitational on March 30-31 at Highland Golf and Country Club.
The women’s golf team also competed in the EKU Colonel Classic hosted by Eastern Kentucky University on March 31 at The University Club in Arlington and the YSU Spring Invitational on April 6 at Trumbull Country Club.
Senior Ryan Sam was the top finisher for the men’s team, as he posted a three-round total of 210 and tied for 11th place overall in the event.
Junior Michael Porter shot a total of 216 and finished 32nd overall. Sophomore Rocco Turner shot 224 to place 70th, while sophomore Josh Weiner shot 225 to earn 73rd.
The Penguins’ three-round total came in at 872 and tied with the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay for 10th place overall. Butler University won the event with a team total of 826 at 16-under-par.
Butler had the top two individual scorers of the tournament with junior Leo Zurovac shooting nine under par and junior Derek Tabor shooting seven under par.
Sam shot under 71 in all three rounds, recorded 11 birdies throughout the event and finished an even par. Porter posted rounds of 71, 73 and 72 with six birdies.
During the EKU Colonel Classic, the women’s side shot a three-round total of 920 and claimed their fourth overall team victory, finishing just one shot ahead of EKU.
With a three-round score of 221, junior Neeranuch Prajunpanich collected her third individual victory of the year. She now has nine career individual victories, setting a program record.
Senior Maddie Shoults recorded her fourth top-10 finish of the season, placing third overall with a three round score of 226. Sophomore Valentina Peña Anaya tied for ninth-place with a total score of 232.
After the classic, the Penguins picked up their fifth team victory of the season, marking back-to-back years the team accomplished that feat.
Youngstown State finished the tournament with a team total of 620, finishing 44 over par. Peña Anaya won her third individual victory with a shot total of 149. Her rounds featured a total of 23 pars and four birdies.
Prajunpanich finished third overall with a total of 153, and Shoults finished tied for fourth with a 156. Sophomore Bella Saur placed sixth with a total of 158 and collected her second top-10 finish of the year.
Sophomore Sofia Perez Escarcena tied for ninth with a two-round total of 162, which earned her fifth top-10 finish of the year.
The women’s golf team will continue its season April 17-18 at the Therese Hession Buckeye Invitational at The Ohio State University Golf Club’s Scarlet Course in Columbus.
